Eat This Now: Pineapple!

One of the most unfortunate fruit tragedies of our day is that most of us grew up eating this:

And not this:

The first time I can remember eating fresh pineapple was in Hawaii when I was 16 years old.  If you come back from Hawaii and don't love pineapple then you were stubborn and didn't try it.  I was surprised to learn that the pineapple is not native to Hawaii, but was brought over from South America.  It is most associated with Hawaii, though, because 1/3 of the world's commercially grown pineapple crop is produced there, most notably at the Dole plantations.  If all you know is canned pineapple, you are missing out.  Fresh pineapple is much, much more flavorful than canned.  It's almost like a different fruit!

Pineapple is available year-round, but its peak growing season is March - July.  Most of the pineapples at the grocery store are still pretty green.  Go ahead and buy it but wait until it turns more yellow and has a pleasant smell.  Avoid buying any that are soft or have brown spots - that pineapple is past its prime.  I think one of the main reasons many people avoid pineapples is that they are not sure how to cut one up.  It is very simple and there are a ton of videos on YouTube explaining how to do it.  You don't need anything fancy except a sharp knife.

Health Benefits:

2 slices provide 50 calories, 0 g fat, 13 g carbohydrate (1 g fiber), 1 g protein

Pineapples provide:
- Manganese (a trace mineral important to bones, thyroid, etc)
- Vitamin C
- Thiamin (vitamin B1)
- Copper (another trace mineral important for many things, including acting as an antioxidant)
- Fiber

Did you know?  Pineapple is a symbol for hospitality....and deliciousness.